Ayobami Oyalowo Says Merry Christmas To You All

God of mercy and compassion
To wreck our land has been their mission
If our leaders could, they’d take away Christmas
Seems our discomfort is their aim
But through it all, You came through for us
And have blessed us with your son in a manger
~ RockaBam

Merry Christmas, folks! This is my year end/Christmas message to all my readers. You guys have been there for me since I joined the active writing fray. I appreciate all the comments and encouragements. Some have been scathing and critical, while some have been flattering. Most have been very objective. For all of you, I say thank you, because you have all contributed to making me a better man and an incisive and thoughtful writer. I remember how some of you will challenge me with the words: “Ayo, this is wonderful, you can’t let the standard drop etc”. I may not have responded to you all individually, but I am using this to say thank you to all who have inspired me.

It’s Christmas and I want to talk to us briefly about the spirit behind Christmas. The first direct prophetic mention of the saviour’s birth can be found in Isaiah 9. It’s one of my favorite. Let’s look at Isaiah 9: 2- 7:

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this”.

Christmas is a season to remember how God kept his promise of saving mankind from himself. It is a time to reflect on the love of God. What is it that you looked for but didn’t attain this year? Remember God is not slack concerning his promises. It may appear that your prayers aren’t being answered and others have moved on. Remember that Abraham waited for another 25years to get his promised Isaac. David was anointed at 17 but became a political fugitive, suffered much and he never became a King until he was 30 years old. Joseph dreamt at 17, he was later sold into slavery and suffered as a prisoner for things he knew not. But at 30years, He became the Prime Minister of Egypt.

Do not lose hope, things may not have gone as planned in 2012, but remember the word of God in Romans 4: 17b “before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things that be not as though they were”.

You may not understand the seeming delay, but trust GOD to bring your dreams to fruition. All you need to do is to hold on to your dreams, trust God through road blocks, barricades, rejections and seemingly insurmountable hurdles.

Christmas is that period when God fulfilled his promise to man. It is a time of Emmanuel– God with us. It is that period where we commemorate the fulfillment of God’s eternal promise to man, of dwelling amongst us and being with us. Forget the sorrows of the last year, let’s look ahead with vigor and hope in the ability of God to bless us in the new year.

I Want to appreciate a few people and should your name be missing on the roll call, please don’t get me wrong, everyone is important and you have all impacted my life one way or the other.

To Aishaja who Inspired my first article on pastors and divorce, and was also the spirit behind my other treatise, ” before the war machines are rolled out”, I say thank you. May God bless you. Also to Nedu Ekekeee who harassed and harangued me until I caved in to start writing, I say kudos, my brother. To all members of the ekekeee commentariat, Segun Dada, Jude Egbas( my able editor), Debo Adejugbe, Demola Occupy, Efe My man, Emma Nwachukwu and others, may God keep us and make us better.

To the older aunts and uncles, Papi, Allyoyedoku, Doyinmojisola, Fajoge, Fani Kayode and all others, thanks for RTs, encouragements and words of advice.

To Mallam Elrufai, it doesn’t matter what they say, you are my friend and mentor, I have learnt a lot from you sir. God bless and keep you and your family. To Dino, they all have reservations. Well it’s their right, but I remember when we used Clement’s Dad’s car for ‘Kabukabu’ those days as boys on the dusty streets of Kano. To you I say, keep the fire burning.

Finally to my shining star, thank you for being you.

I pray that 2013 will be a better year. Make no mistake, there are going to be bigger challenges, but my prayer is that we will be more discerning of their antics and better organized to counter them.

For now, let’s make merry, and enjoy Christmas, but let’s be alert to the antics of the Government so that we are not taken unawares. Remember January 1, 2012.